Bhagavad-Gita: Chapter 8, Verse 14

Rudra Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Visnuswami

Sridhara Swami's Commentary

Attaining the Supreme Lord Krishna by meditation in this manner at the time of death is only possible if there was diligent practice on a daily basis throughout one's life and by no other means can it be made possible. The words nitya-yuktasya mean unwaveringly engaged. To the enlightened and self realised yogi or one perfected in the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness whose mind is unwaveringly focused upon the Supreme Lord continuously without cessation relishing and remembering His rupa or form, His guna qualities and His lilas or divine pastimes every day then He is very easily accessible but those who do not He is not easily accessible.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

Ever situated in equanimity is the one who constantly endeavors. Such a yogi or one perfected in the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness is always fully cognizant in equanimity.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

The word nityasah or always means always since the aspirant consciously devoted themselves to Lord Krishna as the exclusive goal. The word satanam or continuously means at all times. The word smarati or remembering implies that the Supreme Lord has become the sole object of intense love and devotion so much so that the instant one is bereft from thought of Him, one's very life feels it is in jeopardy. So one incessantly meditates upon Him. The words nitya-yuktasya yoginah is the enlightened one who yearns for eternal relationship with Lord Krishna. This is the jnani or knower and lover of god to whom the Supreme Lord is very easily accessible. What the jnani seeks for his goal is the Supreme Lord only and nothing else. This means that it is not the elevated state of consciousness of the Supreme Lord that the jijnansur seek or the state of unlimited fortune like the Supreme Lord that the arthathis or seekers of fortune desire. The goal of the jnani is to obtain eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Krishna or any of His authorized avatars or incarnations and expansions as revealed specifically in the Vedic scriptures.

The Supreme Lord is sulabhah or easy to achieve. This means Lord Krishna is happily available and accessible to all those who are devoted to Him in love and further more He, Himself is unable to bear any separation from His devotees at any time. Therefore it is He who chooses to be associated with them and this is the confidential tattva or truth. By so doing the Supreme Lord Himself quickly carries to perfection by inspiration and intuition the very method that His votary is performing for attaining Him. The Supreme Lord Himself removes all obstacles which may hamper His chosen votary from swiftly progressing to Him simultaneously while generating an increase in His devotees love for Him to propel Him onwards. The Katha Upanisad II.XXIII beginning yam evaisha vrinute tena labhya states: The Supreme Lord is attainable by him alone whom He, Himself elects. This will be explained further in chapter X, verses X and XI but now the remaining verses in this chapter will be focused on showing that there is no return to samsara or the perpetual cycle of birth and death for the jnani who is the knower and lover of the Supreme Lord nor is there any return for the jijnansur who has achieved atma tattva or soul realisation; but there is a return to samsara for the arthathi or seeker of wealth for they have not qualified for moksa or liberation from material existence.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

Thus Lord Krishna described the final departure of the body by a normal aspirant at the time of death. Now He will discourse about the final departure of the yogi or one perfected in the science of the individual consciousness attaining communion with the ultimate consciousness, who is His exclusive devotee. He asserts this with the words ananya-cetasa meaning with fixed consciousness. What does this mean? It means undivided attention to the rupa or form, guna or qualities, lilas or divine pastimes etc. Although these attributes are beyond the reach and scope of non-devotees; for His surrendered devotees He, Himself is not able to behold His devotees pangs of separation from Him and thus Lord Krishna is incapable of being separated from them due to the fact that He is totally attached to their feelings of deep love for Him in vatsalya rasa or parental affection, sakhya rasa or affectionate friendship, etc. So the yogi who has achieved such an exalted state internally who is always thinking of Him who is always expressing devotion to Him with consciousness unwavering from Him. Such a person is equally as dear to Him and thus very easily is able to have regular communion with the Supreme Lord.

This verse also infers that He is not easily accessible to those who are not His devotee even if thy have dedicated their lives to performing different yoga practices. The reason for this being is that Lord Krishna's transcendental nature is such that He can only be accessed by exclusive devotion and by no other way. Various Vedic scriptures confirm that only by by bhakti or loving devotion can the Supreme Lord by revealed. The Katha Upanisad I.II.VII states: The Supreme Lord is He whom, even when heard is not known without loving devotion. The Katha Upanisad I.II.XXIII states: The Supreme Lord is not to be attained by instruction, nor by intellect, nor by instruction. He is attained only by one whom He has chosen and only to such a one does He reveals Himself. So it is absolute that only bhakti can attract Him and only bhakti can reveal Him. So bhakti is the best.